Making shorter anti roll bar drop links. Any downsides?

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:11 pm

Hey y'all.

My rear anti roll bar links on my 3g are screeeewed. One of them has snapped. I can't find any anywhere, except from Honda which are FOURTY FIVE POUNDS EACH!!!!! I'm not spending £90 on two fancy bolts that have to be sent from Japan with a month wait.

Sooooo..

I can quite easily make my own from a bolt and some washers (I have new polybushes for it) but it would be a fair bit shorter than the original. The internet kinda says shorter links firm up the handling, which i want! But they'd be decreasing from about 80mm C-C, to more like 30-40mm. Is this a big deal? Commonsense tells me it would just firm up everything.

I assume it's okay, but wanted to check with you Prelude Pros, as I'm a complete noob when it comes to suspension and handling, and I'm basing this entirely on what the internet says.

Any help / advice / horror stories would be much appreciated

Peace out

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:44 am

If they are shortened both sides, it won't make any difference to stiffness - the stiffness only comes as each side pulls in opposite directions, making the bar try to twist, which won't change.
They will have been that length for another reason though, e.g. for clearance purposes as the suspension travels going over bumps.
You don't want to be messing around changing the length of something like that imo.

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:49 am

Thanks for the reply

No worries, I'll probably just get some longer bolts and make a standard length one then.

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:44 am

Don't skimp. £45 each aint bad.
I just bought all 4 drop links, all 6 lower balls joints all from Honda. I'm about £500 lighter.

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 10:23 am

It's not a case of skimping, it's that I can make the exact same thing from stainless bolts and metal brackets, but bolts of that length are harder to find..

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 12:05 pm

I see. Be aware the drop links are meant to move to allow the roll bar some twist. They are basically 2 ball joints. Unless you already knew that.

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 12:29 pm

Yeah I understand basically how they work. But on that logic, I thought a shorter one would firm it up by allowing less movement, and acting more like a strut brace? Haha spot the noob over here

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 12:37 pm

Right don't worry guys, I finally understand it

fefelarue · Post by **fefelarue** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 12:38 pm

any movement while driving is gonna be directly along the direction of the drop link. So unless it's long enough to compress it along its axis, the length makes no difference?

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Tue Oct 27, 2015 1:15 pm

No the bar needs to allow some movement or it can't twist and may rip out off the suspension.